Carry on Questing

Fire_Fox

Car boot sounds sensible as it might pay for DDs Christmas pressies, leaving you to focus on debt-busting and Pink Elephants? :beer: Seems to me if you are clever with your allotment you could save yourself a mint by growing stuff that (a) you enjoy eating and (b) is expensive to buy and (c) tastes amazing fresh. I'm not sure I'd put the effort into growing, say, onions as you can buy a Smartprice bag for next to nothing and it last several weeks of meals.

Lula-Hula

Hello,

I dont have a huge amount to report but need to keep posting to keep me on track.

Yesterday I spent £3 in the local craft shop on some card making bits, I buy them whenever I see them on offer to prevent me from resorting to buying them again :rolleyes:. I was checking through my stock & realised we still have some christmas ones left over from last year & plenty of bits & bobs to make this year's What I must do is remebr to get them done early so they can be sent out second class post which saves 9p on every one.

I'm slowly coming to realise that money saving is largely about being organized, thinking & planning ahead rather than leaving everything to the last minute as per my previous lifestyle

I also spent another £9 in the co op buying some wine & chocs for Bessfriends mother who kindly offered to have DD while I was at work today. I am very grateful to her & must ensure that I dont abuse her kindness so have already offered to return the favour at some point; keeps that karma flowing

I'm still enjoying the job inspite of being left alone in the offce today while Boss's went offsite for meeting about staff & roles, was a bit scary but my message taking skills are now exemplary I also learned that I will continue working 2 days a week until christmas & wont have to find any childcare as I'll finish when DD does but then from January I will be going in 4 days a week. I am actually relieved as although I am keen to get more involved, it was a bit of leap from current liefestyle & I now have a deadline to get all the decorating projects finished :whistle: & can use the next couple of months to hone my batch cooking skills too :rotfl:

It's been a NSD today so I have gained an extra one but we do need more milk & I plan to deliver some stuff to the charity shop tomorrow & pay a cheque into the bank.

I had no Home Job work at all today & think tomorrow will be quiet too My current account is looking a bit thin so my have to do sme shuffling to cover all the monstrous direct debits that are due out next monday.

The meter reader came round this afternoon so I expect a bill very soon, minus my discount for paying bill promptly last time

I am seriously considering reducing the credit limit on my Barclaycard, it is way above what I would feel comfortable owing, more than my current total debt & far too tempting at times :rolleyes:.

Wol2

Bloomin 'eck Lula

You is doing fantabidosi...and what luck with the new job and about the possible future arrangements


Well done Hun...real coffee delivery needs must be imminent;)...you around thursday evening?

xx

Bowski_1011

Wow Lula... well done on coping when left on your own in proper job, crikey I feel scared just thinking about it. Sounds like they really trust and value you. I'm so pleased the hours are in school time, I know how important it is. Do you have something sorted for the school holidays? That's when I struggle most.
I know you wanted it to start before christmas but like you say it gives you time to get all your decorating done. In the mean time I hope home job picks up to see you through the next couple of months.

I'm shattered, must get some sleep

Lula-Hula

Wol2 wrote: »

Bloomin 'eck Lula

You is doing fantabidosi...and what luck with the new job and about the possible future arrangements


thanks you very much :A

Well done Hun...real coffee delivery needs must be imminent;)...you around thursday evening?

xx

Ha bloomin ha, I go out once in like every 3 months & it just so happens to be this thursday evening Cant get out of it either I'm afraid, have DD1 booked to DD sit, am designated driver to take other girls to pub & then have to take DD1 home after :rolleyes:

sorry Hun , any other one is fine though ...

Wol2

Lula-Hula wrote: »

Ha bloomin ha, I go out once in like every 3 months & it just so happens to be this thursday evening Cant get out of it either I'm afraid, have DD1 booked to DD sit, am designated driver to take other girls to pub & then have to take DD1 home after :rolleyes:

sorry Hun , any other one is fine though ...

No sweat.......my plans have just changed so can;t make it ..but we WILL conect soon! ("Wee wee" Muffin is insistent....._pale_

You are doing just so brilliosi :beer::beer:


xxx

Lula-Hula

Well apart from the above & my ever expanding corpus :mad: life is still going in the right direction.

Today I made & sent a birthday card for next week using a second class stamp & a prayer to get it there on time :rolleyes:

I also paid my work cheque in to the bank & then popped in to the co op to buy some milk but managed to resist all other temptations so only spent 86p

I completed 3 more surveys today & DD also did one which earned a whopping 25 p. I have now reached 1000 points of the 5000 needed for yougov pay out. What's the betting I pay off debts before I reach the target :rolleyes:

Following swiftly on from the metermans visit, I received my ebill for gas today : £69.97 & sadly I am pleased with that. I reckon the electricity should be about the same & I now have £300 saved up toward these which means either I keep the surplus for the next bill which will probably be a lot higher, or I use the surplus toward more debt repayment, [STRIKE]or I just spend the whole lot on shopping for fabby stuff for me [/STRIKE]

I was planning to stash away work job earnings this month in a secret emergency savings fund but have now decided that I'd rather pay off the debt. The 0 % deal on the co op CC runs out in December & I just remembered that this was meant to be my emergency card and it will start costing me money in about 7 weeks time so need to clear as much as possible by then. Current balance is £1050 :whistle:so a bit of challenge :eek:

I also need to stop having CB paid into the ISA - stupid idea as I need to use it to clear debt or have as easily accessible emergency funds :rolleyes:.

I have also decided to not make any more hobnobs for while, doesnt matter how money saving & old style they are, they're making me fatter & I need to be thinner.

I plan to start 2010 with £1,000 less debt & 14lbs less weight.

Best go have a peanut butter sandwich while I still can then ...

Lula-Hula

Bowski - sorry for not replying to you, how rude

The christmas hols will be fine for work as they are letting me finsih when Dd does & wont start back until first day of term. The business closes for a week anyway so that's great.

The local secondary school usually runs a sports camp over half term ( although I couldnt get her in to it this time) & DD has been to that before & although not keen she does realise how important this new job is & also how much I really hate current home job. She's always known that home job was just while she was 'little' & that I would got back to real work at some point, this is just a couple of years earlier than planned but I like the job, people & business enough to grasp the opportunity while I can. Bless her, she's been so enthusiastic & encouraging makes me want to squish her with cuddles

For the last 2 summers she has spent 3 weeks at a daily play camp organized by local authority & sponsored by local business, although I do pay for each ession she attends. I've encouraged her to go to this as although I am at home, I obviously cant entertain her while I'm working & refuse to let her just veg out. She's made new friends from other schools & gained a lot of confidence & social skills while at these camps & really enjoys them so I plan to send her again next summer. I dont know yet know whether I will get paid holiday or just be allowed to take time off when needed ( which was the original plan when just working 2 days a week) but as I've never had paid holiday with current home job I certainly wont be any worse off :rolleyes:.

Bowski_1011

Ah you have it all planned out :A I should have known

Lula-Hula

Yaaaaawwwwwwn,

I've had a busy day doing not a lot this morning & then whizzing about all over the place this afternoon & evening.

DD1 came over to babysit & be driven up to Tatco to do some shopping. I was very brave & made sure that I only got stuff that was actually needed. The total spend was £ 28.97, £21.96 on groceries & the other £7.01 on household stuff. We even had rummage on the reduced shelf & I got 3 bottles of Schweppes diet tonic for £1.59 - the packaging was split ... now all I need is a bottle of gin & I'll be quite happy .

Next stop was to fuel up & that was another £ 34.11 but should last me all month, depending on how many times I have to ferry DD to work at the weekends when her shift starts before the trains do :rolleyes:.

Met up with friends for a pub supper & had a delicious mushroom risotto, truly was fantastic. Didnt drink as I knew would have to take DD1 home so gave 2 friends a lift & only had a lime & soda to drink. got home at 10 to discover that DD1 had created a very glamorous pumpkin lantern, complete with eyelashes & a pout :rotfl:she is bonkers.

Drove her home at 11, emptied all the shopping from the car, & finally got home with 3 minutes to spare before my car turned into a pumpkin :eek: I am expecting DD to have a lie in tomorrow & I certainly will be.

Need to get to grips with money matters & household chores tomorrow & decide how to celebrate on saturday. I am enjoying the approach of autumn; it was a bit foggy driving across the comon tonight & there is often a bit of mist lying on the fields in the mornings.

Time for bed now,

G'night
xx